Isn't It Weird That...

Some weird things we noticed about Vancouver, the mayor's race, Gov. Inslee's first press conference, and Rob McKenna.

1. Isn't it weird that ... Gov. Jay Inslee kicked off his first press conference by playing footsie with the public, announcing that his first act as governor was to send a letter to an unnamed CEO of an unnamed clean energy company that was thinking of moving here?

2. Isn't it weird that ... former Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna's web site now includes a brand-new logo, with the slogan "Rob McKenna: Republican" ?

A sign of future political plans?

"Please click here and take just a minute to fill out a short survey [a "2013 Legislative Session Survey"], so I know whether you want to continue to remain on my list."—Rob McKenna

McKenna's most recent post says only that McKenna is "turning the page on that chapter in my life, and looking forward to returning to private law practice and life of a political volunteer. I certainly hope our paths will be crossing sometime in the not-too-distant future."

And a little organizing to put together a list. He adds: "Please click here and take just a minute to fill out a short survey [a "2013 Legislative Session Survey"], so I know whether you want to continue to remain on my list, and what your suggested priorities are for me to concentrate on in the coming weeks and months."

He also hypes his list (pictured above) moments later in a p.s. and asks people to connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

Teacher-turned-freshman-legislator Stonier has already signed on to the Reproductive Parity Act bill and landed a spot as vice-chair of the Education Committee.

Benton won a nailbiter, 50.07 to 49.93, squeaking out a win with a 78-vote margin. Stonier won in a relative landslide—50.13 to 49.87—by a whopping 139 votes.

Honestly, it makes Vancouver sound like a much more interesting place than lockstep Seattle.

4. Isn't it weird that ... City Council member Bruce Harrell, who's running for mayor, decided to locate his campaign headquarters at 23rd and Union—the very intersection where his council colleague and mayoral opponent Tim Burgess' Drug Market Initiative, aimed at getting low-level drug offenders off the streets, was launched? (Burgess has credited the initiative, which gave dealers the choice of going to jail or accepting social services, with cleaning up the intersection.)